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I am a born and raised New Yorker, daughter to Greek immigrants and first in my family to attend college. With all of the wonderful education I’ve received, a lot of what I’ve learned has come from my patients and the people in my community! I’m really a bookworm but don’t be fooled by the academics: I love languages and speak Spanish and Greek fluently, love writing (see!) and have a passion for music and dance.

I studied undergraduate at Cornell University and earned my medical degree from New York Medical College. I decided that I wanted to be a surgeon because I felt that I would have the biggest impact on people. I returned to NYC for my ophthalmology training at St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Centers of Brooklyn and Queens.

I love speaking to my patients and getting to know them – their questions are often intelligent and thought provoking. Along the way, I realized that the number of patients I had to see in a given day was increasing and my satisfaction was decreasing. Wanting to help more and more people I started writing columns, blogs and ultimately ended up here and on TV.

When it comes to our health, little is more important. No matter how fulfilled we are in our jobs or personal lives, nothing can be appreciated without our health. Lucky for us, we live in a century when medical advances are constantly increasing our lifespan and our chances for healthful longevity. Antibiotics, vaccines, preventive screening tests and drugs for dozens of chronic conditions exist now but didn’t just 100 years ago! Medicine is changing at a fast pace, and our current health care system is having a hard time keeping pace.

There is so much health information surrounding us, often coming at us from every direction. We visit our doctors for a once yearly checkup (if we do that!), we use “Dr. Google” to self-diagnose every bump, scrape and bruise, and we can be terrified by some of the information out there! As a doctor, I too get confused.

At heart I am an academic and a teacher. I love researching and spreading information in a non-judgmental way. That means incorporating Eastern philosophies into our Western way of medicine. I am firm believer that knowledge is power, and no one is going to take care of yourself if you do not.

When it comes to our health, some things are not so black and white. Educating ourselves without fear and in any easy to comprehend manner isn’t always easy. Your doctor can only do so much – so what do YOU need to know to ensure your own health?